INCORPORATION OF THE LONDON MASONS.

Freemasons Monthly Magazine - 1842

THE following notice of the Incorporation
of the Masons
of the city of
London,
will probably be new to many of our
readers. It may be found in Maitland's
History of that city:-
"Masons, No. 30. - By the arms granted this
society by
William Hanckestow, Clarencieux-King at
Arms, in 1477,
it appears to be of considerable antiquity;
however it was
only incorporated, by letters patent, of
the 29th of Charles
II. Sept. 77, Anno 1677, by the name of the
Master,
Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty, of the
company of
Masons of the city of
London."

"Their armorial ensigns are azure on a
chevron between
three castles argent, a pair of compasses
somewhat
extended of the first. Crest a castle of
the second."

This incorporation of course included the
operatives of
the Freemasons, who, in their society, make
use of the
same armorial bearings, which originally
belonged to
them.
The following are extracts from the Act of
Incorporation
(or Letters Patent) of the present Grand
Lodge of
England
"GEORGE THE THIRD, by the Grace of God, of
Great
Britain, France, and Ireland, King,
Defender of the Faith,
TO ALL, to whom these PRESENTS shall come,
Greeting, WHEREAS the SOCIETY Of FREE and
ACCEPTED MASONS have for Ages held frequent
meetings within this Realm, and have ever
demeaned
themselves with Duty and Loyalty to Us and
our
Predecessors, with Reverence and Obedience
to the
Laws, and Kindness and Good Will to their
Fellow Sub-
jects: And whereas, the said Society
appears to have
been originally instituted for humane and
beneficent
Purposes, and have distributed, from Time
to Time to all
without Distinction, who have had the
single Claim of
Wretchedness, Sums to a great Amount,
collected by
voluntary Contribution among themselves."

"NOW, KNOW YE, That WE, out of Our Princely
Regard
to a Body of Men, associated for such
laudable Purposes,
willing to manifest to the World our entire
Approbation of
their past Conduct, and desirous to enable
them to
answer more effectually the humane Ends of
their
Institution, of Our especial Grace, certain
Knowledge, and
mere Motion, have ordained, given and
granted," &c.

POTS

From its origin to the present hour, in all
its vicissitudes, Masonry
has been the steady unwearing friend of
man. - Rev. Erastus Burr